This invention is directed to a thoracic drainage collection system and particularly such a system which conserves the collected fluids in a disposable sterile collection bag and which does not require the continuous application of external suction for causing collection.
After open-heart operations and other operations which require opening of the thoracic cavity, when the chest wound is closed, some fluids still escape into the thoracic cavity of the patient. These fluids must be gently evacuated in an effective manner so as not to collect and cause complications to the patient.
After closing the chest, a tube is usually left with its suction end inside the chest cavity. This tube is connected to a system for evacuation of exudates. Early devices for applying suction and collecting the fluid are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,999,500 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,032,037. Later patents have been improvements on these early devices. The later patents are often directed to ways in which the suction from the installed hospital vacuum source is distributed between the collection bag and the receptacle. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,556,101 and 3,719,197 are such later patents.
A problem which has not been particularly well addressed by the prior art is the situation where air from pneumothorax gets into the suction tubing and the air must be released lest it cause complications to the patient's condition.
There is need for a system which accomplishes thoracic drainage without requiring the use of continuous suction, but is effective and reliable, low in cost, and can be supplied presterilized.